If you are a car racing enthusiast, you must have heard about Ferrari’s itself Challenging Racing Series. Anyway, for those you are completing unaware of what we are talking about here, let us give them a quick tour. Started in 1992, the renowned Italian sports car manufacturer, Ferrari has released five race-tuned cars under ‘Challenge Series moniker’. It’s been 24 years since every year Ferrari organised a racing event on its own, where only Challenge car owners across the globe are allowed to participate. The next year will be the silver jubilee (25th anniversary) of the event, and how one would not think about the new entry to cheer this special occasion.
And here she comes! Ferrari 488 Challenge RaceCar, the sixth model in the row to join the five elder siblings. It is slotted to replace the 458 Challenge EVO model. The most recent sixth racecar, 488 Challenge is the first ever turbocharged model carrying the Challenge Series badge and is the most powerful car of the series till now. The heart of 488 Challenge racecar, a 3.9-litre V8 twin turbocharged petrol engine is capable of churn out the maximum power of 660 PS and the peak torque of 772 Nm.
Let us remind you something here, this is the same motor which grabbed the title of “The International Engine of the Year 2016”. To sent power to the wheels, the engine is paired with an F1 DCT transmission that is blessed with an advanced racing shift technology which allows the racer to hit the top speed from a standstill in just 6 seconds via four gears.
Well, these above-mentioned mechanical figures are quite similar to that of the model it replaced, however, the Challenger version receives more aerodynamic shape and a retuned chassis. At the front, the radiator has also received several tweaks in order to improve the airflow at the higher speeds. Moreover, the front bumper has also been revised and now features more prominent splitter. It also gets three vents and integrated flags which direct the hot airflow from the radiator towards the rear.
Being a racing beast by the blood, the interior dashboard has also been redesigned to optimise it for racing performance. The power delivering against the weight of the vehicle has also been increased. The 488 Challenge RaceCar is also blessed with the first in series Ferrari patented Slip Slip Control (SSC) software. The SSC technology helps in turn-in, cornering and acceleration out of the corners.
After all these tweaks, the output, Ferrari 488 Challenge RaceCar is an extraordinary racing beast which recently completed a lap at Fiorano test track in 1 minute and 15 seconds. That time duration was a second less than the model it replaces, and 7.5 seconds than the road-legal version of the 488 GTB V8. Even it also beat Ferrari’s flagship car, LaFerrari by four seconds in the total time duration to complete the race.
So hold your breath till the next year to catch the thrilling speed of the Ferrari 488 Challenge RaceCar on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Challenging Racing Series by the Ferrari.
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